Highway sign



Sept. 23, 1952 w, J. TAYLOR EI'AL 2,611,203

HIGHWAY 'SI'G'N Filed March 27, 19.50 2 SHEETSPSHEET 1 INVENTORS.

' WILLIAM J. TAYLOR,

JOHN H. WORSHAM a JOHN 1.. DAVIS' qttomeg' 'w. J. TAYLOR ET AL HIGHWAY SIGN Filed March 27,-195o 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 6 HM... n /%n 4 v MW M Patented Sept. 23, 1952 HIGHWAY SIGN I William J. Taylor, John H. Worsham, and

a John L. Davis, Oakland, Calif.

Application March 27, 1950, Serial No. 152,023

2 Claims. i (01. 40-126) This invention relatesto the control of ve hicular trafiic on highways or other thoroughfares.

An object of theinventionis to provide means and a method for deterringoperation of vehicles in an erratiolma'nner or at excessive speeds on sections of roads'vvhere such operation might endanger the safety of others;

An additional object of the invention is to provide a device of th'echaracter described which is arranged'to be'clearly perceptibleflto the operators of vehicles travelling over a section of highway and whichis suggestive of the immediate presence of a law enforcement officers Another object of the invention is toprov'ide facsimile reproductionsof ofificial vehicles of a law enforcement agency arranged to lie-displayed to oncoming trafiicin a road sectionto be controlled and at'such a distance that potential trafiic law violators'will be discouraged from attempting or committing any infractio'ns in the particular road section due to uncertainty as to whether or notthe visible object ahead is an actual police vehicle.=

A further object of the invention is to provide a focal plane facsimile reproduction as above described which is fully as large as, and capable of visually obscuring, an actual vehicle which may be positioned adjacent and in prescribed registry with the reproduction.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the "following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to beunderstood, however, that variations in the showing made by the saiddrawing and description may be adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

Referring to the drawing:... s

Figure l is a view, pictorial in character, showing the appearance of the vehicle counterpart of our invention to the driver of an approaching vehicle.

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the ve hicle counterpart structure in use to shield an actual law enforcement vehicle from the view of rearwardly approaching drivers.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the trafiic control apparatus of our invention.

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the structure shown in Figure 3.

Traffic law violators particularly habitual or occasional speeders or reckless drivers are becomdrivers and many accidents occur; oftentimes with serious or fatal consequences for innocent parties involved. In instances where numerous ing more and mor'e dimcult to detect and'apprehend due to the fact that new road construction and the number of vehicles coming into use are fast outstripping the growth of local and state highway patrol'forces with the result that' in areas where the ratio of road length to patrol personnel .is high safety regulations are being constantly fiaunted by potentially dangerous accidents or violations occur it has often been found necessary to station official vehicles in or near the road section so as to apprehend violators or to provide suggestive warning to discourage any infraction of traiiic rules. This method of traiiic control,- while effective in the particular road area too greatly restricts the genveral patrol coverage of the thoroughfare with.

ment efficiency of a comparatively small patrol 25 force may be spread over a considerablelength or network of roads and which permits zun tsrot the force to more effectively watch particular sections 'of the road or-to trail or apprehendvehicles'which are being driven in potentially-dangerous manners. 3.

In the form in which we have chosen to illustrate our invention, we'provide at least one but preferably two panel members 6 of wood, sheet metal or other suitable material each having a marginal contour I shaped to conform exactly with themedial transverse contour of a full size precisely matching the color areas representing the vehicle bumper 9 and other metal trim may be given coatings of highly reflective silvery metallic paint or may be overlaid with strips of aluminum or other metal foil suitably bonded or otherwise attached to the panel. For added reality, the areas of the panel depicting the taillights II and caution lights 12 of the ofilcial vehicle may be equipped with light reflectors positioned behind red glass or transparent plastic lenses, the lenses and reflectors being suitably secured in apertures or recesses formed in the panel members.

For additional realism, a rod member l3 suitvertical posts l8 or equivalent members spaced apart a distance equivalent to the center to center spacing between the tire treads of the actual vehicle and preferably embedded in; .the

soil of a road shoulder where it is desired to.

display the traffic control device. The posts l8 are made of wood or other suitable material which has a facial width equivalent to the, tread.

width of the actual vehicle tire and painted or otherwise inscribed on. theposts are pictorial representations l9 of the:tire.;t1 'ead design It will be noted that the postsareembedded in, the ground or are so otherwise supported that. the portions thereof exposedabove .the groundlevel and interposed between the latter and'the bot tom edge of the panel member. 6 are equal in vertical length to the portionsoftiresivisually exposed below an'actual. vehicle. Thus aperson.

viewing the device frontally from a-distance will have considerable difliculty distinguishing the control device from an' actual: vehicle since the device permits an unobstructed view under'and around it except 'for'th'e posts representing the vehicle tires.

In use, oneor. more of the-traffic control devices are setup at spaced points along ahighway or other thoroughfare, preferably on the off-pavement shoulder thereof by the law enforcement agency assigned to regulatetraffic on such thoroughfares and are arranged so as to present preferably a'-rear view of the depicted official vehicle toward oncoming trafdc. Invariably, any driver who may be-unlawfully-speeding-or otherwise operatinghis-vehicle in a reckless manner, uponsig'htin'g the supposed'law enforcement vehicle parked along the road ahead will immediately slow down to permitted speed or will otherwise conduct'himself in a lawful manner. Thus if the control device is placed just beyond a zone in which speed-or other-regulations are being continually flaunted, effective control of trafiic may be secured without requiring the presence of a law enforcement ofiicer. Although it is possible that habitual users of a particular highway may soon learn that a certain traffic control deviceisan artifice,-the portable character of the device permits it to be removed from itsset location from time to time and replaced by an actual vehicle manned by a law enforcement officer so that those drivers who disregard the warning afforded by the control in Figure 2 that since the replica is equal in size,

to an actual enforcement vehicle and possesses the same contour thereof, the former is capable of fully concealing an actual vehicle It which may be backed up to the replica so that the latter will be interposed between the actual vehicle and the oncoming vehicles I! in the immediately adjacent trafiic lane. Thus a motorist familiar withthe replicaand its location may ignore the warning, and. speed or otherwise erratically drive past only to be apprehended by the officer manning the actual enforcement vehicle.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for controlling highway traffic comprising apanel member bearing a full-size pictorial representation of portion of an actual law enforcement vehicle, and means secured to and depending from said panel member and engaged with an off-pavement portion of a roadway in a position facing at least one flow of vehicular traffic on saidroadway, said means havinga lateral width substantially equal to the tread width of a tire of said actual vehicle and being spaced apart. substantially equal to the lateral tread spacingof the actual vehicle tires, said panelmember being peripherally contoured to conform with the external periphery of said portion of the actual vehicle.

2. Apparatus for contro1ling highway traffic .comprisinga panel member bearing a full size pictorial representation of portion of an actual law enforcement vehicle, support members secured to 'and'dependingfrom said panel member and engaged withgan'off-pavement portion of a roadway in a position facing at least one flow of vehicular traflic.-on:..said roadway, said support members. :each having lateral width equal to the tread width of .a'tire of said actual vehicle and further being spaced apart equal to the lateral tread spacing of the actual vehicle tires, and a pictorial representation of a tire tread on each of saidsupportmembers and facing said flow of vehicular traflicon said roadway.

WILLIAM J. TAYLOR.

JOHN H. WORSHAM.

JOHN L. DAVIS.

REFERENCES CITED The. following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 50,215 Bromiley Jan. 23, 1917 1,575,417 Devine- Mar. 2, 1926 1,702,701 Maimark Feb. 19, 1929 2,002,248 Muehleisen May 21, 1935 2,078,126 Cusick 1 Apr. 20, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 750,696 France Aug. 16, 1933 

